The year 2019 is no doubt going to be an exciting year for all of us. It is also very clear to me from the infallible word of God that the God of heaven will give us success this year; He will level every mountain before us; He will help us to complete both our old and new projects; He will cause us to overflow with prosperity and comfort us again - 1:17.

Yet, all these will happen how? Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.

There are however conditions to be fulfilled if the aforementioned blessings would be delivered to us. And it is my prayer that the Lord will help us to fulfill these conditions in Jesus’ Name.

Foremost of the instructions in the book of Zechariah that we must obey, is the instruction to return to God - V.3. This has to do with repentance.

WHY MUST WE RETURN TO GOD?

Some of the reasons why we all must return to the Lord include:

It is a command from the Lord Himself - V.3; Mal. 3:6ff.

To be free from God’s anger - V.2

For the LORD to return to you - 3

To avoid parental pitfall - V.4 - 6a

To escape divine judgment - V.6b.

The truth is that all men will repent but it will be too late for some - Rev.6:12 - 17.

1. First by acknowledging our sins and the sins of our forefathers - Psa. 51:

With fasting, weeping and mourning - Joel 2:12.

With a broken and contrite heart - Joel 2:13

Etc

WHEN ARE WE TO REPENT?

The scripture also reveals the “when” of our repentance. It must be NOW.

In other words, you don’t postpone repentance. You don’t defer it. Now is the time to repent of every evil way and receive God’s mercies.

WHAT ARE WE TO REPENT OF?

Knowing the things to repent of is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the one to reveal our sins to us and convict us of the same. No man can do it better than the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit is already placing His finger on certain areas of our lives about which we need to bring repentance to the Lord. Amongst others, you and I need to bring repentance to God on the ff:

1. We need to bring repentance for the sins of our forefathers - V.2

We need to repent of being far away from God - V.3

We need to repent of our sins against the “earlier prophets” that have proclaimed the word of God to us - V.4

We need to repent of our own sins of stubbornness - V.4

We need to repent of our negative attitude to the word of God - V.4

We need to repent of our unfaithfulness in our giving - Mal. 3:6ff.

Etc.

It is my prayer that the Lord will greatly help us to thoroughly deal with the issues He has raised and would be raising before us in the course of this week’s solemn assembly. May the Holy Spirit reveal to us every faulty foundation in our lives and help us to correct them in Jesus’ Name.